Should Northern Maine have a right to exist?? (Portland, Augusta: assessor, schools)

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I would love to see the numbers that support that fact please.

Simple logic should suffice. Take the mean income of a town, divide the property values by the mill rate and multiply it by the tax paying population. Look through the school budget , fire department, road crews, police, and tell me a town of 2500 people's taxes can support all of that infrastructire on it's own. There is no possible way.
Want proof? Go to Eagle Lake where the roads are the best in Maine....Why ?? Because ex speaker John Martin lives there! Where did Presque Isle come up with the Millions needed to build it's state of the art high school?? It did not come from taxing the 9500 residents to bankruptsy now did it?

[Bydand]

No logic does NOT suffice. You are stating something as a FACT. Show proof of this so called fact. If there isn't any, all the logic in the world just produces a theory and not a fact.

Where is Presque Isles "state of the art High School?" All I have ever seen in the last 20 years is the same one they have always had.

Eagle Lake has the best roads in the state? Have you been through there recently? I have, and can tell you they are far from being the best in the state.
You are posting myths in support of YOUR logic. If you can show PROOF I will gladly concede the facts, I will not concede to "logic" with no evidence.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Bydand

No logic does NOT suffice. You are stating something as a FACT. Show proof of this so called fact. If there isn't any, all the logic in the world just produces a theory and not a fact.

Where is Presque Isles "state of the art High School?" All I have ever seen in the last 20 years is the same one they have always had.

Eagle Lake has the best roads in the state? Have you been through there recently? I have, and can tell you they are far from being the best in the state.
You are posting myths in support of YOUR logic. If you can show PROOF I will gladly concede the facts, I will not concede to "logic" with no evidence.

Things were so good in Maine you moved to Michigan right?

[Boomerang]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

No, a Subaru Forester with a Thule rack will do just fine!

Now you're confusing Maine with Vermont.

But on topic:
I've never lived in northern Maine, but I have lived in a "Disorganized Township" and small towns in the southern half. Have attended a fair number of annual town meetings (selectman form of government). I like the meetings because they hash out budgets like you would at home - "How much money do we have? How much did we earn through investments? Shall we grant the request of the local <insert name of organization here> for X number of dollars? Can we afford the extra $500 that the fire department wants this year? Do we agree to take out a bond for <insert need here>?"

I understand that for society as a whole to function, everybody needs to make an individual contribution. My taxes help to support school systems even though I have no kids in school, but I understand that education is a vital need. Police, fire, and rescue departments are also vital. Even if I never personally call for help, their service is a community-wide need. I also think it's a good thing that my taxes assist those who otherwise cannot get medical or other necessary help. I might be one of them some day - who knows? I agree to some of my tax money being spent on preserving natural resources and quality of life. Once those things are gone, you can never get them back again.

Things I don't agree with are waste, inefficiency, pork-barrel projects, and any political entity which uses public gain for personal advantage.
I'd like to see local and state governments sit down and hammer out a set of spending priorities based upon real need and vision for the future. Then carve out the waste, re-direct what we do have to where it's needed, proportionate to the need, and do some creative thinking to find ways of increasing available resources.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Things were so good in Maine you moved to Michigan right?

I wondered how long it would be before you played that card. Typical.

Still doesn't answer the question posed to you.

[Maineah]

There was a Southern Maine program called Fair School Funding that was put together to try to get the Legislature to fund schools based on population factors not on geographical needs such as extra busses etc. They felt it was unfair for the Southern Part of the state to support schools in the North who enjoyed many sports, bands, and other activities which would not otherwise be possible without taxing the Southern population centers. if there was no real basis for their complaint why did they enjoy such a following? I don't have files of statistics here though If you need me to I can look up the funding breakdowns. Flycessna's original post is correct. Northern Maine is not self supporting. Perhaps 100 years ago it was. When the State decided it was unfair for Southern Maine to have better schools than the North they made sure they got the funds FROM THE SOUTH to make up the difference. That also applies to the STATE maintained roads all Rural Routes paved and plowed by the DOT....not the towns. The extra cash for all of these services does not fall from the sky!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I wondered how long it would be before you played that card. Typical.

Still doesn't answer the question posed to you.

Played what card you moved didn't you!!! Am I ststing something that is not a fact here?

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Bydand

I wondered how long it would be before you played that card. Typical.

Still doesn't answer the question posed to you.

Played what card you moved didn't you!!! Am I stating something that is not a fact here?
If you thought things were so great here why move away?

[Maine Writer]

He's said several times already why he moved. So, where are your facts? I'd also like to see them.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by Maine Writer

He's said several times already why he moved. So, where are your facts? I'd also like to see them.

Is anyone really taking the stance there is NO redistibution of wealth from the southern Maine into Northern Maine. Come on now!!!I mean....we can debate how much there is and wether or not it's exessive.....but really?? Maineah is just stating the obvious.......when there is a school to be built or when there are schools graduating only 20......or 50 students for that matter....there is no way that district could support itself.....and though the same thing could be said for down here too (Poland's new highschool) ect....I beleive there is a net migration of money coming into northern maine from southern maine.

So lets here it...............IS THERE ANYONE THAT BELIEVES THERE NOT A NET DISTRIBUTION OF WEALTH THAT PASSES FROM SOUTHERN MAINE INTO NORTHERN MAINE VIA TAXES?